Chapter Four

“Hey boss, it’s me. “ 

Mike said and the man greeted in return form the other side of the line. 

“Agent Scott, it’s been a while. How is the investigation going? I received the report, you’ve gotten quite close to them quickly. Good job. I heard Paris and all that. “

His boss was always saying ten things in one sentence. It was good, they didn’t have much time for idle chit- chat. 

“Thank you, Sir. Yes. “Mike said, “ How did you know? About France, I mean, I don’t remember reporting… “

Mike asked, although he knew the Bureau had eyes everywhere. Literally. 

“Flynn told me. “

“Flynn…Right. “

Mike said, remembering what Jesse had told him. A few weeks ago Jesse had said he had heard Richard and Flynn talk about him. 

But then Flynn had called him, saying Mike should never trust Jesse. It was a mind - game, the kind of game people rarely got out of alive, unfortunately. The only question was- who was lying. 

“What do you have for me?” Mike asked, hearing some rustling on the other side of the line. 

“Mike, this is a very important case, and it’s no secret your father spent his final years working on it. “

“Yeah, I know. “ 

Not that he needed the reminder. 

His father had been a wolf- just like he was, and just like his father, Mike had joined the Bureau- more because of his dad, rather than because he had really wanted to be a secret agent. 

And this- investigating Richard- had been his father’s last case before he had been killed. It had been natural for Mike to continue the case. His Dad had been undercover, but he had never even gotten that close to the whole gang. Mike was pretty sure it was damn luck he made it. 

That, and the fact Killian had chosen him for his bodyguard. The fact he was his mate was the worst that could happen, but at least as far as the investigation was going- things were going well. 

If only Jesse wasn’t trying to betray him. 

Or was it Flynn?

Mike had many reasons to want Richard in jail for the rest of his life and he was going to do it, even if he had to die. 

“So?” 

his boss asked, “what’s coming?”

“There is a big delivery expected to happen. Weapons, again. “ Mike explained, “They will be transported from France. “ 

“Thanks to your help, as far as I am hearing.  “

His boss said and Mike shrugged. 

“It had to be done, they need to be able to trust me, so now it probably looks like I am working for them for real. “ 

“Of course. Keep Flynn updated, and… “

“Flynn isn’t coming to the exchange. “

“No?”

“No.”

“And why is that?”

“He is… he is not requested to be there. “

There was a brief silence on the other side and after a few seconds his boss said, voice leveled and calm. 

“Very well. You’d really been doing pretty well over there, Flynn joined almost two years ago and you’ve reached much further than him in less time. “

“Thank you, Sir. I guess it was luck.“

Or not, Mike thought. 

“Anything else, Agent?”

“No, not for the moment. “

“Good, Agent Scott. Well keep in touch. “ 

“Definitely, Sir. “

Mike hung up the phone. He hadn’t mentioned anything about Jesse, or the fact the gang had other wolves. He also hadn’t mentioned that the man they visited in Paris was a wolf too and this was the only reason why they had made the deal. Because Mike had played the Alpha card at the guy and the man could not say no. 

But for some reason, Mike thought it would be better to keep this information only to himself. 

***

“Man, this was…” Jesse sat heavy on the passenger seat, resting his head back. “I thought we were dead. “ He was laughing, though. 

“Straight to the grave, did you see how big this guy was!”

Mike laughed too and took the driving seat. 

“He was alright. “

“Alright? Bro, if you weren’t an alpha, we’d be all ripped to pieces. “

Mike started the car and turned the radio on. 

Jesse looked at him, puzzled. 

“What?”

Mike asked. 

“You never turn the radio on, are you okay?”

“Yeah, just… “ He hadn’t seen Killian in a week and it was driving him irritated. “I just don’t like the quiet. “

“Right. “ Jesse was watching him. “Or it’s because …” Jesse made an exaggerated exclamation. 

“You’re actually finally happy we didn’t get shot and want to party?”

Mike laughed. 

“No. Definitely not. “

“Come on, man, let’s go for a drink.”

“I said no. “ 

Jesse sat up straight and continued, tone serious. 

“Okay, look. We did everything as per Garrey’s orders, the grumpy man will finally be happy- it all went smooth. “

Jesse was waiting, quiet. 

“So?”

Mike asked. 

“So, we can relax tonight, come on. Just one drink, I swear. “

“Last time you said that you showed up wasted at my door, remember?”

Mike didn’t say “and kissed me.” but there was no need to mention it. 

Jesse looked away. 

“I know, sorry. But that’s not happening. I promised, and …”

“Hey,” Mike said, remembering that Jesse had been with someone when he and Killian were in Paris. 

“What happened to that dude you were with when I was gone, What was his name you said, …”

“Oh, no. “

“Edward, right.?”

“Oh, no, no…” Jesse immediately started unfastening his seatbelt. “If you’re going to ask me and make fun of me because of this, I’m jumping from the car. “

“You can’t just jump from the car. “

“And why not?”

“Because you’ll hurt someone. “

“I’ll hurt someone? You don’t care if I get hurt?”

“Nothing will happen to you.”

“And how do you know? You were the one calling me weak - ass wolf. “

“I never said that.  “

“But you thought about it. “ 

They kept arguing and jokin until Mike reached the more crowded part of the city. They had been in the outskirts and Jesse was right- they could have been killed and no one would know, because Garrey had sent just the two of them for this. 

But maybe Jesse was also right -nothing could go wrong if they went for just a beer. Besdes, he needed to keep his mind off Killian. It wasn’t that he had expected to see Killian more often now that they had kissed- Jesus, what had he been thinking. 

But still, this was worse than before. So yes, why not- they could go for a beer. 

“What is this place?”

Jesse asked when Mike stopped the car in front of a dimly lit bar.

“You wanted to go for a drink, right?”

“Really?” his partner asked, excited. 

“Yes. “ Mike said, opening the door of his car. “ Because you have to tell me all about this Edward guy.”

“Oh, nooo.” 

Jesse said, but got off as well. “Guys don’t talk about these things. “

“Uh, yeah, why not?”

He was joking, but Jesse caught up with him as they were walking towards the bar. 

“He is a cop. “ 

Mike paused and glanced back at him. 

“A what?”

“Yeah, a cop. “

“How come are you going out with a cop, Jesse?”

Mike was pretty sure this guy wasn’t someone investigating the gang, otherwise he would have known about him, and most likely was just a coincidence, but he was still going to tease Jesse about it. Besides- despite everything, Jesse seeing a cop, even if it was some small traffic police officer, or whatever, could also be a bad idea. 

“I am not going out with him?”

“Couldn’t be any worse. “ Jesse said, “So no, no meeting him. Like ever again.  “

Mike shook his head as he was opening the door. 

“If we don’t get shot in a gang war, we’ll be killed by your bad luck, I swear. “ 

“Yeah, tell me about it.  “ Jesse muttered and followed him inside. 

***

They were chatting about all kinds of random stuff- and Mike was very seriously trying not to think of Killian. 

“All I am saying is next time it won’t be so easy, “Jesse was waving his hands around, “And I guess all of that is because…” 

Then his hands froze mid- air, expression changing completely. 

“Jesse?”

Mike waved a hand in front of his face, and when Jesse quickly looked away from the place he’d had his eyes glued upon something, Mike turned and followed the direction of Jesse’s look. 

There was a big, tall guy, coming in and greeting everyone. 

“Don’t look, “ Jesse hissed and made Mike turn around. 

“Just… don’t look.  “

Mike glanced backwards again. 

“This is your cop guy, right?”

He laughed, taking a sip from his drink. 

“What, shhhhh…”

Jesse leaned towards him. 

“Stop it!“

“But that’s him, right?”

Jesse didn’t say anything and finished his drink in one gulp. 

“No. “

“Yeah, right. If you weren’t so obvious about it, then maybe the whole bar wouldn’t have noticed. And your pupils dilated. “

“What?!”

Jesse quickly cast his eyes downwards, hiding them from the people around and Mike teased him. 

“Don’t worry, you didn’t change colour, but if that guy was any closer, I am sure you would. “

“Stupid ass, “ 

Jesse muttered and looked back up. 

“Of all the places in the world we could go, we had to.. oh, no. “

“What?”

Mike said, turning around. 

“I told you not to turn around!“

“Jesus. “

Mike muttered. 

“And he’s coming this way. “

”Of course he is coming, he saw you, Jesse. “ 

“Do you think so?”

“Uhh…apparently?”

Mike wanted to burst out laughing- he’d seen Jesse freak out, but it had been when let’s say someone got shot or something. 

This kind of freaking out he was in the middle of doing right now was a different type of freaking out and Mike found it really amusing. 

“Is it possible this is Jesse’s mate?”

he thought and bit his lip, trying to prevent the smile from spilling all over his face and embarrassing Jesse further. 

At that moment, he heard the movement from behind his back. 

The man- Edward was human, that was for sure. And a cop, but definitely not investigating. 

“Hey, Jesse. “ 

The man came to stand between Jesse and Mike, glancing at Mike. He looked kind of pissed at Mike for some reason. 

“Yeah, hi. “ 

Jesse muttered above the rim of his glass. 

“Awkward.  “

Mike thought and wondered whether it would be too obvious if he literally just got up and left right about now. 

“I tried to call you. “

Edwards said, “And texted you, is everything…”

“Okay, I’ll be outside, guys. “ 

Mike got up, taking his glass and searching for his pack of cigarettes. 

Jesse protested, but Mike was already walking out of the door to hear what his friend was saying.  Once outside, Mike picked up a cigarette and looked around to see all kinds of drunk people. Some fighting already, other chit- chatting. A usual night out in a run - down bar in a bad neighborhood. 

And then…

and then he saw him. The figure that didn’t belong in those slums. 

Kilian was standing on the other side of the street, hands in his pockets, watching him.